posted by Greg Campbell
-
2 years ago

Six months after Colorado became the first state to sanction the legal sale of recreational marijuana, it is nearly $11 million richer in retail sales taxes.

The state also has another $1.9 million in excise taxes earmarked for school construction, according to a report card by the Drug Policy Alliance.

The organization also reports a 5.2 percent decrease in violent crime in Denver, where most marijuana stores are located, and a savings of $12 million to $40 million by years’ end for not having to enforce old marijuana possession laws.

The report also cites the Marijuana Industry Group’s estimation that 10,000 people are directly employed by the legal pot industry and quotes Gov. John Hickenlooper — who opposed the passage of Amendment 64, which legalized sale and possession for adults — saying, “While the rest of the country’s economy is slowly picking back up, we’re thriving here in Colorado.”